In certain instances, it may be desirable to secure a patient's uvula as a result of medical or environmental conditions. One such example is when a patient snores excessively so that the uvula becomes traumatized and elongated.
Snoring is a prevalent condition in our society, with an incidence rate as high as 20% of the adult population. Snoring can cause not only difficulty in social environments, but also can be the harbinger of more serious health problems such as obstructive sleep apnea. Snoring can be caused by the oscillation of the oropharyngeal soft tissue during the inspiratory phase of breathing during sleep. Increased negative intrathoracic pressure can lead to collapse of the soft tissue causing apposition of the soft palate and uvula with the surrounding structures. The uvula, as time progresses, can become hypertrophic with increased fat content. The enlarged uvula can then cause worsening snoring, which further affects the uvula and creates a cycle of problems.
Snoring treatment can be first targeted on weight loss to reduce the soft tissue in the oropharynx. Weight loss is often a difficult challenge for these patients and the time required for a change in snoring habits are often not well tolerated. It can therefore be desirable to secure the patient's uvula to relieve the snoring symptoms. If adequate weight loss is achieved, the uvula can be released so that it returns to its normal position; or, if necessary, the uvula can be permanently secured to relieve the snoring symptoms.
While snoring is provided as one example of a medical condition that may warrant securement of the patient's uvula, other medical conditions warranting securement also exist such as obstructive sleep apnea, velopharyngeal insufficiency and nasopharyngeal stenosis.